Perry will join the Season 23 cast, along with fellow Texan Vanilla Ice, retired football player Calvin Johnson, Indy race vehicle driver James Hinchcliffe and Olympians Laurie Hernandez and Ryan Lochte.
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Lochte was best known as Michael Phelps’ chief Olympic rival in Rio de Janeiro before fabricating a story about being robbed at gunpoint.
Other Dancing With the Stars contestants this season will include former Texas governor Rick Perry, model Amber Rose (who you may know as Kanye West’s ex), rapper Vanilla Ice (of Ice Ice Baby fame), and several other athletes, including 16-year-old US Olympic gymnast Laurie Hernandez, former National Football League star Calvin Johnson and IndyCar driver James Hinchcliffe.
Meanwhile, E! News confirmed that Derek Hough will return to the set of “Dancing with the Stars” season 23. According to Us Weekly, Julianne is returning on the “DWTS” judges’ table after skipping the competition last season.
Most surprising, though is the addition of Governor Rick Perry of Texas! Yes.
The young Latina gymnast, who is 16, will partner with Val Chmerkovskiy, 30, a Ukrainian-American professional dancer who has competed on 10 seasons of DWTS with Tamar Braxton, Ginger Zee and Zendaya.
Ryan Lochte believes “everyone has got to be sick and tired” of hearing about his actions during the Rio Olympics. He used to tap me on the shoulder and say, ‘You’re gonna be on there one day I would just tell him, ‘Oh, stop.
“I think it’s everyone blowing this way out of proportion”.
The roster wouldn’t be complete without a Disney Channel star, and “Wizards of Waverly Place” alum Jake T. Austin is filling that slot.
But the only reason people outside of the show’s fans are really talking about this moment is the way Lochte was gazing at his new dance partner during a Good Morning America segment. “I’m dedicated to helping #veterans however possible, and I’m going to use @dancingabc as a stage to do that”, Perry tweeted Tuesday.
Terra Jole – Star of “Little Women: LA“, and the first little-person contestant for the show.
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There are some high profile throwback cast members this year, too, with the addition of Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds (producer for Bobby Brown, Paula Abdul and TLC) and Vanilla Ice. He’ll be paired with pro Jenna Johnson.
